Railway-signal flagstaff



4(No Model.)

@.P. 30CH; l l RAILWAY SIGNAL FLAGSTAFF. 1`

N0. 569,024. Tatentedt. 6, 1,896.

g Y e wj/r'oesses. QM? l ma cams Pinzas co4. monzufno, wAsmNcTou, mv cton, rubber, or any other soft material.

UNiTED STATES PATENT? OFFICE.

GEORGE P: KOOI-I, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

RAILWAY-SIGNAL FLAesTAFF.

Y SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,024, datedOctober 6, 1896.

Application filed July 31, 1896. Serial No. 601,159. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known thatvI, GEORGE P. KooH, of Boston, county of Suolk, State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Signal Apparatus, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representinglike parts.

This invention has for its object the production of au improved signalapparatus particularly adapted for use on railroads whereby a flag canbe readily set or furled andvprotected when not in use. I have alsoprovided a convenient receptacle in the portable signal apparatuswherein the usual track-torpedoes may be kept, so that they will be athand when needed.

Various features ofk my invention will be hereinafter described in thespecification and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of one form of signalapparatus with the flag displayed. Fig, 2 is a similar view with theflag furled and protected. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view thereofon the line :1c Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in elevation of theHag-roller, and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of aslightly-modified form of my invention to be described.

Referring to Figs. l, 2, and 3, I have shown a hollow slightly-taperingholder a, of wood or metal, preferably the latter, threaded at its endsat a and a2, respectively, the base of the holder being provided with atorpedochamber ax, preferably lined with felt, cot- A screw-cap c isadapted to engage the threads a2 of the holder, closing that endthereof, removal of the cap permitting access to the torpedo-chamber.Byhaving the torpedoes thus protected the clamps thereof are preservedintact instead of being broken off, as is frequently the case atpresent, and the torpedoes are kept in a place convenient for theoperator when they are required for use.

The iiag F is secured at its inner edge in a longitudinal slot CZ of astaff or roll CZ, having a shoulder d2 near its lower end and apreferably milled head d3 at its upper end.

A hollow case e, havingabearing c' therein near its lower end, receivesthe flag-roll, the shoulder d2 thereof resting on the bearing andpermitting the roll to be rotated, the top of the roll extending throughthe closed top c2 of the case, while the flag isv passed through alongitudinal slot e3 in the case.

By grasping the projecting outer edge of the flag it may bepulled outthrough the slot c3 of the case, while it may be wound upon the roll dby rotating the latter with the head d3, drawing the flag into the case,as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

1V hen it is desired to use the Hag, a cap c', Fig. 2, havinga threadedbase c2, is unscrewed from the threaded end a' of the holder a, and

Vthe flag-case e is run out by tipping theholder.

The case is drawn out `until it is in the position shown in Fig. l, andthen the threaded shank c3 of the cap c is inserted in the threaded holea3 in the holder to bear against the adjacent part of the casec as aset-screw, firmly holding it in place. It will thus be seen that the capc serves the double purpose of a closure for the end of the holder awhen the flag is not in use, and as a set or retaining screw to hold theflag-case in operative position.

On the pilots and tenders of locomotives, and also on the ends of cars,flagstaff-holders are usually secured to receive the end of the staifand display a flag, and in Fig. 5 I have shown a modification of myinvention adapted for such form of fixed holder. The hollow holder f,rigidly secured in place in any suitable manner, is threaded at itsouter end at f to receive a combined cap and setscrew g g', the closurebeing shown in Fig. 5 acting as a set-screw. The flag-case h has abearing h therein for the shoulder le of the flag-roll k, the latterhaving a small bevelgear k2 fast thereon in mesh with a similar gear k3,mounted on a shaft h4 in the caseh, one end of the shaft having asquared or polygonal end Z to fit a correspondingly-shaped recess in thescrew-shank g. When the case h is extended, it will generally happenthat the head kx of the iiag-roll will be out of the operators reach,and he then applies the shank of the cap g, using it asa key to rotatethe shaft 7&4 and through the gears roll the flag up. After this theshank is inserted in the holder to act as a set-screw, as shown,preventing accidental displacement of the flagcase due to vibration.IVhen the flag is not IOO in use, the cap g is applied to the top of theholder to prevent the entrance of moisture and dirt.

A cushion fx of some yielding` material may be inserted in the lowerpart of the holder to support the fiaboase when not in use.

lVhile I have herein shown the holder as adapted to receive a singleflag and its case, it will be obvious that the holder may be made ofsufficient diameter to receive a plurality of the cases withoutdeparting from the scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

l. In a signal apparatus, a hollow holder, a dag-case adapted to slidethereinto, and a combined closure and set-screw to close the end of theholder and to retain the flag-case in extended, operative position,substantially as described.

2r Ina signal apparatus, a hollow holder threaded at its upper end andhavinga threaded hole in its side, a tubular flag-case adapted to slidethereinto, means to furl and spread the flag, and a threaded closure forthe holder, having a threaded shank to enter the hole in said'holderVand retain the flag-case in eX- tended position, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a signal apparatus, a longitudinallyslotted tubularflag-case,arotatable rod therein to which the iag is secured, a holderin which the case is adapted to enter when not in use, a chamber in thelower end of the holder, a closure therefor, and a combined cap andset-screw, to close the other end of the holder and also to serve as aretaining device for the flag-case when extended in opp erativeposition, substantially as described. In testimony whereof I have.signed my name to this specication in the. presence' of twosnbscribingavitnesses, o

GEORGE P.. KOCH. lVitnesses:

J oHN C. EDWARDs. ALEX. C. PROUDFIT.

